Iowa 1st District Democratic hopefuls split on Obamacare

(MCT) — None of them called for repeal, but some of the Democrats running in Iowa’s 1st District called for “major modifications” in their party’s signature congressional accomplishment of recent years – the Affordable Care Act.

Republicans also were split, with one calling for repeal and the other saying Obamacare just needs to be tweaked.

The differences on the ACA came as seven of the nine candidates for the open 1st District seat participated in a forum hosted by the Iowa Credit Union League in Des Moines. Winners of the June Democratic and Republican primary elections will face each other in November, with the winner succeeding Rep. Bruce Braley who is running for the U.S. Senate.

Given a multiple choice question of whether to take Obamacare as it is, modify it to make major changes or repeal it, state Rep. Pat Murphy of Dubuque and Cedar Rapids attorney Dave O’Brien were the only candidates to answer “A.”

“I’ve been fighting for health care for more Americans since I started getting involved in politics back in 1986,” O’Brien said. Bill and Hillary Clinton’s plans for health care reform were one reason he led their Iowa campaign in 1992.

Although Republicans called the Clinton reform a “disaster, a big government takeover,” O’Brien said their alternative then was what Obamacare has become.